


2012 Advent Calendar │ Side HIKARU NO GO

by stillskies



Series: Advent Calendars [3]
Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-01
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-20 01:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 7,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/579921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillskies/pseuds/stillskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>24 drabbles/ficlets written for the 2012 holiday season.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Question of Cues

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaineddove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaineddove/gifts), [inoru_no_hoshi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inoru_no_hoshi/gifts), [mmmdraco](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmmdraco/gifts).



It's probably a stupid idea, and he's sure that the bastard won't appreciate the sentiment _at all_ , but Ko Yeong-ha has been complaining about the temperature and bemoaning the fate of his fingers in his last e-mail, and when Kiyoharu was out shopping with Shindou, he _just happened_ to find a charcoal colored cashmere scarf that was _on sale_ and a pair of nice leather gloves – _also_ on sale – and before he knew what he was doing, he was purchasing them and having them gift wrapped by the nice lady in guest services. Now, he's standing in a really long line, trying to remember _why_ he's even _at_ the post office at the beginning of December amongst the harried customers and the foreigners speaking broken Japanese to ship their packages to their families at home. 

All he wants to do is send a scarf and some gloves to Korea. Probably. What he ends up doing is helping a confused woman – who very insistently tells him in poor Japanese that she's studying abroad and her family needs their Christmas presents _a week before_ the holiday or they'll think she's _dead_ – send off her packages to the United States. She thanks him profusely, grabbing him by the wrist and shaking his entire arm up and down in gratitude. He tries to tell her it's no problem, that anyone would have done the same – which is probably not true, considering she was at the counter, blubbering for fifteen minutes before Kiyoharu sighed and forfeited his spot in line to help her – but she won't let him get in a word edgewise, and suddenly she is dragging him off towards the entrance.

"Wait," he tries desperately to break her grip, but she doesn't relent. "I need to send this package!"

"Treat," the woman exclaims, and it takes him a few minutes to understand what she's talking about it. In fact, he doesn't quite get it until she is forcibly pushing him into a seat at a ramen shop and pointing to the menu for him to order. "I treat you."

Kiyoharu blinks while the woman continues to smile dementedly at him. Finally, he orders a bowl of tonkatsu ramen.

*

"So," Ko Yeong-ha says when he answers his door. "Might I inquire as to the occasion?"

Kiyoharu shoves the box into Yeong-ha's arms. "Here."

Yeong-ha blinks. "And what is this?"

"A present," Kiyoharu replies as he pushes past Yeong-ha into the apartment. At first, he thought Yeong-ha was being a baby about the weather, but Kiyoharu has never been to Seoul in December, and he is sorely tempted to take the box back and appropriate the contents for himself. "Or something." He spots a blanket on Yeong-ha's sofa and decides that's good enough.

"You flew to Korea to give me a present?" He's looking at Kiyoharu as though he's not sure he should be touched or concerned. Kiyoharu decides it doesn't matter and burrows under the blanket. "It would have been cheaper to ship it."

"No," Kiyoharu says, giving Yeong-ha wide eyes. "This was the easiest option. _Trust me_."

Yeong-ha wisely doesn't question it.


	2. Little Things

When they were younger, they had a tradition – every year, during the first week of December, they would find the closest ice skating rink and spend hours on the ice, slipping and sliding and falling and laughing. Hikaru would always grab a fistful of shavings and shove them down the back of Akari's sweater and dart off, daring her to follow. Once their feet were sore and their noses red, they would buy hot cocoa and sit off to the side, watching people far more experienced than them twirling and jumping, graceful in a way she wished she'd be one day, and then it would be her that Hikaru looks at with awe as she as she glides by.

It's one of the few things she truly looks forward to as the temperature drops, and this year is no exception; she is already envisioning the outing and the bite of the cold and the warmth of cocoa. It's changed a little now that they're older and have separate lives – Hikaru lives further away and always seems busy with Go, and Akari is in her first year of university at a local school – but the spirit is still the same. Now, instead of having cocoa at the rink, they go to a café, and instead of it just being the two of them, there is a third – sometimes a fourth, although this year Akari has not invited anyone – who meets them there. But the rink is still their special thing, and no one else is invited.

She is debating on a pair of gloves when her mother knocks on the door, informing her that Hikaru is here. Akari smiles and picks a pair at random before racing down the stairs to find Hikaru standing awkwardly in the entry way.

"Ready?" he asks; he has his hands shoved in his pockets and Akari can see a sliver of tanned skin.

"You forgot gloves, didn't you?" she chides. "I'm surprised Touya-kun didn't forcibly put them on you when you left."

Hikaru rolls his eyes. "Are we going or not?"

Akari smiles and nods.


	3. A Brother's Obligation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shigeko takes her brother shopping for Waya's present.

"Why are you so _slow_ , big brother?" Shigeko complains, tapping her foot impatiently. They only have an hour before their parents expect them home for dinner, and there are still a few shops she wants to hit before they have to leave. "Come _on_."

Kazuo is weighted down with her purchases and his cheeks are red with exertion. "If you _carried_ some of the things you _bought_ , maybe I could keep up with _knocking into people_ , Shigeko."

She waves his words away and points to a brightly lit storefront decorated with pine garlands and twinkling colored lights. "This is our next stop," she declares, taking determined steps towards the entrance. "I need to get Waya-kun something and he _loves_ this store." She turns around to make sure Kazuo is behind her and ignores the mistrustful expression on his face. "Maybe I'll get him a new shirt, or a wallet. What should I get him, big brother?"

"I don't know," Kazuo sighs, holding the door open so that Shigeko can enter. Lord forbid she open her own doors, he thinks darkly; clearly, their father's study group spoils her far too much. "He's _your_ boyfriend, not _mine_."

He watches as she flushes and stomps into the store, leaving him with the unenviable task of getting through the door without damaging the bags hanging from his wrists and fingers. He shimmies through sideways and carefully picks his way to the counter where Shigeko is purchasing a horrid camouflage scarf – presumably to go with the ugly camouflage sweater vest with the star she bought him last holiday season. 

Waya, he knows, isn't particularly fond of camouflage, and in a stroke of pure brilliance, Kazuo had convinced her that Waya absolutely _loved_ the design. Now, every year he gets to watch as Waya awkwardly wears whatever hideous thing Shigeko has gotten him. It's not that Waya has done anything in particular to him – he most certainly does not envy the attention his father bestows upon Waya, complete with the yelling and too-high expectations – but he feels it is his duty as Shigeko's older brother to make his sister's boyfriend uncomfortable, even if Waya doesn't know it's all Kazuo's fault to begin with.

Shigeko holds up her purchase triumphantly. "Think he'll like it?"

Kazuo smiles. "I'm sure he'll absolutely _love_ it."


	4. A Night Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuku likes to wander the streets in winter.

Yuuta loves winter – the chill in the air, scarves and sweater and mittens, the way people seem to light up as the year draws to a close and starts anew, fresh with promise and opportunity. Often, he wanders the streets of brightly lit districts, watching smiling people – families and couples and friends – and basking in the happiness of the season.

"Fuku?" 

He turns around to find Shindou, backpack slung over his shoulder and wrapped warmly in a bright orange scarf. "Hello, Shindou-kun," he greets cheerfully. "What brings you out to this part of town?"

Shindou tosses a look over his left shoulder and rolls his eyes, as though he's listening to something Yuuta cannot hear and finds it bothersome. "No reason," Shindou says after a moment. "Just, ah, trying to find a present for a friend." The cloth of Shindou's jacket rustles and Shindou shoots the space behind him an irritated glance. 

Dusk is falling and the lights and decorations in the surrounding storefronts begin to light up. A particularly cheerful display of a decorated tree surrounded by various plush animals draws his attention. For a moment, he watches as a chipmunk climbs a ladder, clearly trying to reach the tree, then slides down.

"Ow!" Shindou shrieks. "It's just a light display, S—" Abruptly, Shindou stops and laughs awkwardly. "I mean, I gotta go. See you on Saturday, Fuku!" Without another word, Shindou takes off bounding down the street, dodging the crowds of people. It looks like he's yelling at his shoulder, but Yuuta chalks it up to one of Shindou's many quirks.

"Ah, I should probably get home," he says to no one, and follows the happy crowds to the train station, leaving Shindou and his ghosts behind.


	5. Present Tense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hikaru buys Touya a present.

The only thing he can find that is even remotely go-like – that is _not_ a book of kifu or tsumego that Touya can probably beat in his sleep – is a mug. It is white porcelain with little black circles all around the circumference. It's not particularly expensive, and it's sort of creative, so he takes it to the counter and buys it.

They haven't talked about presents and Christmas, and he doesn't really expect Touya to buy anything for him at all, but. Well, he sort of wants to get him something that he'll use, and he refuses to purchase anything lavender or with argyle print, and a coffee cup can be used for tea, and it's not _weird_ or anything. After all, it's just a _mug_.

People buy each other cups all the time. (Except for the fact that he has _never_ bought anyone a cup, aside from that one fiasco with Kaga, which doesn't count; he certainly never spends more than ten minutes picking something out for a friend or family.) So, it's not a declaration or anything. It's just a cup.

He keeps telling himself this as the clerk takes his money and hands him back his change, and he takes the bag and heads out. 

*

There aren't any bags in his apartment, but he does find a stray ribbon in one of his drawers and ties a ribbon on the handle before he presents it to Touya on Christmas. It's sitting on the table between them, and Touya is staring at it like he doesn't know what it is.

Hikaru sighs. "It's a cup, Touya."

Touya glares. "I _know_ what it is, Shindou," he snipes. "What I _don't_ understand is why you're giving it to me."

"I just thought you might like it," Hikaru shrugs. Touya is staring at him with wide eyes, and Hikaru can feel his cheeks heat up. "Look, if you don't want it—"

"I didn't say that," Touya cuts in, carefully picking the cup up and raising it in front of his face. "It's very nice. Thank you." 

"You're welcome."


	6. A Steady Strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Touya Kouyo retires.

Sometimes, he worries that he's too distant, that his life and his career are more important than the things that should matter, but his world is black and white stones and carefully carved lines. She understands – has told him time and time again that she doesn't mind, that she is happy to provide him with what she can – and the thoughts disappear, buried beneath strategies and games and memories of a ghost he'll never meet.

When he announces his retirement, she is wary, and he cannot blame her – their entire marriage has revolved around tournaments and study groups and students. It is difficult to remember a time when it was just the two of them, and while he is by no means giving up the life he has lived, he is changing it and reforming it as though he has cleared one game to start another. She waits and watches and smiles and greets their guests as they come to see him, either to challenge him or to give him their well wishes, and she doesn't complain. 

He wonders if anyone else can see that his strength on the goban is nothing compared to the quiet strength Akiko possesses.

She offers to come with him abroad; she has always wanted to travel, she tells him. Her smile is warm and she flits about the room, packing this and that, things that they will need, and he is overcome with warm affection for this woman who has stayed by his side, who has provided him with a home and a family. She is chattering about the various things in China that she would like to see, the shrines and the pandas, and he thinks that perhaps she is the greatest gift he has been given.


	7. A Different Kind of Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nase plans a different kind of Christmas.

She decides the week before Christmas that she absolutely does not want a date. What's the point, she reasons, if he's just going to run off and never call her? Which isn't to say she doesn't want a _boyfriend_ , but… well, she doesn't want to have to be someone else to get someone to like her.

Her friends don't understand. _Why not just go on a few dates before mentioning that game?_ they ask. She can't explain to them that it's not just a game – go is as much of a part of her as anything else, perhaps more so than the things her friends use to define themselves. Besides, she doesn't think it's the go that frightens them as much as the idea that she is not the typical demure Japanese beauty that they want her to be.

Instead, she arranges a party for the insei (and invites Waya and Shindou-kun and Iijima and Isumi because, even if they are no longer insei, they're still part of the group and she misses them) and tells her friends to have fun on their dates. They don't understand, but Asumi knows that's okay; they don't need to.


	8. An Accord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Le-ping needs to use the computer. Yang-hai isn't amenable.

"Yang-hai, Yang-hai!" Le-ping skids to a stop in front of Yang-hai's door and favors him with a gap-toothed grin. "I need to use your computer."

He supposes that this is Le-ping being polite as opposed to Le-ping being _Le-ping_ , so he considers it for exactly one second before returning his attention to the dating sim playing out in front of him. "No." It's not like he expects him to _go away_ , but he still foolishly hopes that by clicking the dialogue box, Le-ping will eventually realize he's busy and just… leave.

"You're just playing an ecchi game, Yang-hai," Le-ping declares. "Besides, I only need it for a few minutes."

The girl on-screen is in the middle of a love declaration and Yang-hai is missing it because Le-ping has managed to pull the chair away from the computer and roll Yang-hai towards the bed. And then the game is gone because Le-ping is clicking out of it and opening a web browser.

"Hey!" Yang-hai protests.

"You can redo it," Le-ping says dismissively. 

Yang-hai stands and heads immediately to the electrical outlet, where he unplugs the computer and listens as Le-ping yelps and tries to turn it back on. He holds up the cord, waving it back and forth to get Le-ping's attention. Le-ping glares and lunges for the cord, but Yang-hai lifts it over his head and shrugs. "You know," he says conversationally, "how would Isumi feel if he knew you were bullying people?"

Le-ping freezes. "I'm not bullying anyone!"

"Stealing my computer, ruining my game," he ticks off, "I'd call that bullying." He uses his free hand to dig through his pocket and pull out his cell phone. "Maybe I should find out?"

"I'm sorry!" Le-ping shrieks. "I didn't mean it! I just wanted to buy something for Isumi-san but I know now that I was wrong and shouldn't have ruined your game."

He cocks his head to the side and pretends to consider Le-ping's apology. "Fine," he says after a moment. "Buy me coffee for a month and I'll forgive you."

Le-ping nods and rushes out of the room, presumably in search of coffee. As soon as the door is shut, Yang-hai locks it and plugs the computer back in. 

He's back at his last save when Le-ping starts pounding on the door. "Sorry!" Yang-hai calls, turning up the volume. "I can't hear you!" And then he goes back to playing his game.


	9. Anticipation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saeki can't wait.

There is something about the cold air and the clear sky and the promise of warm tea and a blanket that makes Kouji hurry to the train station. He's not late – in fact, if he makes the connection, he'll be quite early – but he still picks up his pace until he's on the platform, huddling inside of his jacket and scarf and hopping a little in place to keep warm. The train arrives and he hurries into the car, claiming a seat towards the middle between an older lady and a teenager talking loudly on his cell phone.

The ride is less than fifteen minutes, but every minute seems to drag, and every stop in between lasts an eternity. His phone is in his hand and he checks it every few minutes for a missed call or a new message – something to tell him that he's getting excited for nothing, that Ashiwara-san has changed his mind and cancelled this… whatever it is in favor of meeting friends for karaoke or sushi or something that is not sitting in his apartment with his sort-of rival, watching stupid movies and maybe playing a game of go. But there is nothing there, just the warm glow of the backlight and the reassuring digital interface, telling him the time and date.

Finally, they arrive at his stop, and he practically hops out of the car and towards the street. He forces himself to slow down when the apartment building comes into view, and by the time he reaches the door into the lobby, his pulse is down and his cheeks are only red because of the wind. It takes three agonizing minutes until he reaches Ashiwara-san's door, and he exhales as he knocks.

"Good evening, Saeki-kun," Ashiwara-san greets as he answers the door. "Come in."

Kouji relaxes and smiles.


	10. Nengajo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ogata sends his greetings.

New Year's greetings are the bane of Seiji's existence. He doesn't see the need to write out a postcard for every single person he has ever met and wade through the incompetent staff at the post office just to send a piece of poster board through the mail when he'll still have to give verbal greetings throughout the first month of the new year. It's repetitive and ridiculous, if you ask him, but no one ever does, so he invests in a stamp that simply says _Wishing you good health. Happy New Year._

Once upon a time, before Ashiwara became infatuated with the mediocre player from the Morishita group, Ashiwara would appear on his doorstep, baked goods and ridiculous colored pens in hand, ready to help Seiji with his new year's greetings. This year, however, Ashiwara has begged off – he'll be helping the Morishita student – leaving Seiji to his own devices. 

He briefly considers not doing them and telling everyone he forgot – he has a title match to prepare for, Touya-sensei will be in the country for the holiday, and Seiji is behind on his teacher's kifu – but manners win out in the end, and he sits down at his desk in resignation, rooting through the top drawer for his stamp.

_Next year,_ he promises himself, _I'll pay someone else to do these for me._

(Incidentally, he _does_ completely forget about Kuwabara-honinbou. When Kuwabara points it out at their next meeting, Seiji shrugs and tells him that good health is beyond him. Kuwabara's laughter follows him through the room.)


	11. The Light in the Window

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sai wants to see the lights. All Hikaru wants to do is play some games.

"Hikaru, Hikaru!" Sai is practically vibrating with excitement as he points out yet another storefront display of lights. "Those ones are _colored_." He says the word in awe, as though the idea of colored lights is so magical that speaking it aloud might destroy the display. Hikaru rolls his eyes and pushes through the crowd towards the arcade.

He can see the entrance a few meters ahead and he puts on a burst of speed, gracefully dodging people until his hand is reaching for the door and – 

Suddenly, bile rises in his throat and his eyes are watering. He whirls around to find Sai giving him the saddest face he has ever seen. "I was hoping to see more of the little lights, Hikaru," he says in a voice that can only be described as heartbroken.

Hikaru can't breathe. He's sitting on the ground, back against a wall, trying to keep the nausea at bay. A few people have stopped to stare – probably hoping he's going to either go berserk or throw up everywhere. He shoots them all a glare. "Hikaru," Sai whines, and Hikaru has to hang his head between his knees to keep from losing it.

"Oh my god," Hikaru whispers. "Fine. Fine. We'll go see the lights!"

Immediately, the nausea is gone and Hikaru feels fine. He rights himself and shoves his hands in his pockets sulkily while Sai cheerfully leads the way towards a row of shops, all with glittering lights in their windows.


	12. The Twelve Days of Fifthmus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Christmas carol, Hikago style.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super mucho thanks to [Inoru](http://archiveofourown.org/users/inoru_no_hoshi/pseuds/inoru_no_hoshi), [Maaya](http://archiveofourown.org/users/chaineddove/pseuds/chaineddove) and [Kimmie](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mmmdraco/pseuds/mmmdraco) for coming up with the lyrics for the song. ♥♥♥
> 
> Also, can you catch the crossover? ♥

__

On the twelfth day of Fifthmus, my rival gave to me

__

twelve fangirls squealing

"I told you," Yashiro hisses, dodging the hand that darts out to grab his jacket, "we should _never_ have done that magazine photo shoot."

__

eleven stones a-clacking

They get eleven hands in before Akira stands up and throws his (empty) cup at Shindou's head. "What do you think you're doing?" he asks, incredulous. "Have you _forgotten_ how to play?"

"Maybe," Shindou says, rubbing his forehead. Akira doesn't feel the least bit guilty; the cup was _paper_. "You might have given me amnesia with your ugly sweater."

__

ten bad doujinshi

"Why?" Kouji is staring, horrified, at the doujinshi his sister has brought him. Staring up at him in several different poses are him and Ashiwara-san – sorry, _Sakuya and Akoto_. Some are innocent, some are provocative, others are strange (why is there an octopus on his head?).

Hanako shrugs. "It's popular?"

Kouji wants to die. 

__

nine insults shouted

"Your hair looks like a five year old cut it!" Hikaru shouts.

Touya sneers, "Well, at least it doesn't look like a five year old _dyed_ it."

"Oh no," Hikaru says, eyes wide. "You did not just go there."

"And what if I did?"

"You dress like an old man!"

"And you dress as though you're still chasing after your youth," Touya bites back.

"At least I _had_ a youth!"

Touya looks affronted. "Are you insinuating I did _not_?"

"You hung out with Ogata-san and Ashiwara-san. They're like, what? A hundred years older than you?"

"At least they're capable of intelligent conversation and intriguing games, unlike your _friends_."

Hikaru glares. "At least they make moves that make sense!"

"Are you sure you want to go there, Shindou?" Touya asks. "Because _that_ \- " he points to Hikaru's last move, "makes even less sense than your hair."

Meanwhile, the patrons at the Touya Go salon sigh and prepare for another round of yelling.

__

eight clocks a-timing

She's not sure what she's supposed to be looking for; each clock looks exactly the same, and they are all counting down the time silently. "Is there something special about one of them?" Nase whispers, and Isumi shrugs. Randomly, she picks up the fifth clock from the left. "Here," she says. "This one should be good."

__

seven titleholders

Between the two of them, Shindou and Touya hold five of the seven titles. It rankles Seiji's pride, but he has still managed to keep the Juudan title despite Shindou's yearly attempts to wrest it from him.

__

six goban waiting

"You can never have enough goban," Touya Kouyo tells them, as though he's imparting sage advice. Saeki nods quickly, accepting the housewarming present while Hiroyuki smiles and offers Akiko-san some tea.

__

five shirts with fives! 

Mitsuko sighs and folds yet another shirt with the same screen print on the chest. She has never understood her son's obsession with the number "5."

__

four argyle vests

Akiko hums as she folds yet another vest. She notes with satisfaction that Akira's color combinations are expanding – possibly Shindou-kun's influence – and decides to get him another argyle vest while running errands later.

__

three camo tees

"I don't know why Shigeko-chan constantly gets me camo," Yoshitaka laments, holding up a camo scarf.

__

two hands of god

He's pretty sure that the 'hand of god' wasn't meant to be used as an exclamation during sex, but Kiyoharu has _two hands_ that may as well be god themselves giving him the best handjob of his life.

__

and a creeper in a white suuuuuuuuuuuuiiiiiiiiiiit~

Seiji hates the insinuation that only the bad guy wears white suits. He'll have everyone know that the shogi meijin, Hani-sensei, _also_ wears them, and _he's_ an upstanding member of society. 


	13. Presentation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuwabara is a troll.

It's not often that he gets to amuse himself like this, so he takes extra care in picking out the perfect present. Nothing too expensive – Ogata-kun is just as likely to throw it back in Kuwabara's face as he is to keep it – but something with _meaning_. He settles on a pair of boxers with different kinds of fish floating in a sea of dark blue silk. The girl at the cash register is trying very hard to keep the dismay from her expression, and Kuwabara doesn't help matters by keeping a large grin pasted on his face during the entire transaction.

*

"Ogata-kun!" It's taken the better part of the day to track Ogata-kun down, and the younger players have been staring at the gift bag in Kuwabara's hand with interest. Ogata-kun is eyeing him warily and other people are starting to gather. For a moment, he wonders whose interactions gather more interest: his and Ogata-kun's, or Shindou-kun's and Touya-kun's? 

"What do you want?" Ogata-kun's voice is flat.

"Since we won't be seeing each other over Christmas," Kuwabara begins, and is pleased to note the twitching in Ogata-kun's left eye, "I brought this for you today." He holds the present out to Ogata-kun, who looks like he is seriously considering the consequences of killing Kuwabara where he stands. Kuwabara shoves the present into Ogata-kun's arms. "Open it, Ogata-kun."

Ogata-kun's expression is pained, but he slowly removes the tissue paper. Kuwabara can tell the exact moment Ogata-kun sees the present – his eyes narrow and his lips form the most entertaining scowl. He's about to encourage Ogata-kun to hold it up for all to see, but Ogata-kun spins on his heel and leaves, bag still in his hand.

*

Their first game of the new year happens the at the beginning of Feburary. Kuwabara loses by half a moku. It's a very good game, and he draws the discussion out longer than he normally would. The reporters are finishing up their questions when Kuwabara looks at Ogata-kun and smiles. "It's probably the present I gave him," he says casually. 

Ogata-kun twitches.

Amano-kun frowns. "And what present was that, Kuwabara-sensei?"

The twitching has morphed into a clenched jaw and squinted eyes. Kuwabara laughs. "It's our little secret, right, Ogata-kun?"


	14. Happy Christmas, Indeed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurata spends his holidays the same way every year.

The best thing about December, Atsushi thinks, is the _food_. It's not that he doesn't have delicious food throughout the year, but there is something special about the winter holidays that makes everything taste extra delicious.

For instance, take KFC. He can have it any day of the year, this is true. But there is something about fried chicken on Christmas Eve that is just special. It's almost as though they break out an entirely different recipe for that _one day_ , and the thought of having a tender, juicy breast in his mouth makes him salivate.

Which is why he is at home, alone, on Christmas Eve. Just him and a bucket of chicken and a bottle of sake. No one to bother him, and, more importantly, no one to _share_ with. Atsushi smiles. Happy Christmas, indeed.


	15. Sometimes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, Mitsuko wonders if there wasn't more she could do.

Sometimes, she thinks that maybe, just maybe, she could try a little harder to understand her son's life. The games and the rivalries and traveling, things that she never would have been able to predict, are etched into Hikaru's skin the way the marks of her own life are on hers – chores and homemaking, her life that revolves around ensuring that her son and her husband are taken care of. His fingers are callused and his language his foreign – territory and moku and a million little things that she cannot comprehend. 

Her husband tells her not to worry; she is a good mother and there is a time in a boy's life when the apron strings need to be cut. _Do you think my mother understands my life?_ he asks in good humor, and she feigns a laugh, her mind frantically turning with thoughts that she is different, and it is too soon. She lost her little boy long before her mother-in-law lost hers.

Sometimes, she thinks that maybe, just maybe, it was Hikaru's collapse that took him from her. That if she had just given him more pocket money none of this would have happened. (This is ridiculous, she tells herself. She was justified in withholding his allowance; his grades had been – always have been – subpar, but that doesn't assuage her guilt.)

Her father-in-law simply waves the concern away. _He's setting out on his own,_ he says with a gleam in his eye. (Hikaru has always been his favorite, probably more so than his own son.) _Nothing wrong with that._

When Hikaru moves out, she is a bit bewildered. ( _He's not even nineteen,_ she tells her husband in dismay. _He can't cook anything except instant ramen._ He laughs and tells her that it was bound to happen sometime, but she is resolutely firm in her belief that it is too soon.) Her son – her little boy who is perhaps not so little anymore – rolls his eyes and tells her not to worry. _Besides,_ he says with an easy grin that reminds her of a much younger boy, one who had somehow managed to find a bottle of bleach and pour it all over the front of his hair, _it's not like I'm going far. And I'll be here all the time for dinner, anyway._

She fusses over him and helps him pack before accompanying him to his apartment. (It is small and sits just across from the station, which alleviates some of the fears she has about him traipsing home in the dark.) He rolls his eyes and tells her she's making a big deal out of nothing, but she ignores him like he has done her for so long and strolls into the apartment, helping him clear the boxes of belongings and making up his bed for him.

Before she leaves, she presents him with a set of pots and pans and makes him some rice and curry. _You cannot live on instant ramen,_ she asserts, packing the leftovers tidily into containers. 

_Sheesh_ , Hikaru whines between mouthfuls of rice. Honestly, she thinks, she has taught him better manners than this. _You still treat me like a little kid._

Mitsuko smiles and places her hand on his shoulder. _Despite moving out, Hikaru,_ she says, _you will always be my child._

Sometimes, she thinks that maybe, just maybe, he'll be all right without her, but she pushes the thought aside. She may not understand his life, and she may not know the path he walked to reach it, but he is her son. Nothing will change that.


	16. A Question of Sweaters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shindou and Touya are getting ready for dinner.

"This is ridiculous," Akira asserts. "There is nothing wrong with this sweater." Shindou gives him a pitying look before resuming his perusal through Akira's closet. "It's _dinner_ , Shindou," he tries again, but Shindou continues rifling through Akira's neatly ironed shirts. "No one is going to be looking at my sweater."

" _I_ will be looking at your sweater," Shindou argues. "And thinking of ripping it from your chest and throwing it on the floor. And _then_ where would we be?"

Akira rolls his eyes. "Your beastly lack of manners is in no way my problem. Besides, your _mother_ gave me this sweater."

Shindou snorts and holds up a navy blue sweater with green and yellow argyle patterning on the front. After a moment's consideration, he throws it back in the closet. "Don't throw my things," Akira protests, nudging Shindou out of the way to refold the discarded piece of clothing. "We are going to be late for dinner, Shindou."

Shindou gives him the most mournful look Akira has ever seen. "Please, please, _please_ change your sweater. For _me_."

He sighs and looks down at his sweater – a lovely shade of maroon with small printed reindeer. "I fail to see why you take such exception to this."

"There are going to be _pictures_ ," Shindou says, as though that explains everything, which, considering it is Shindou, probably _does_.

Akira grabs Shindou's wrist and pulls him from the room and towards the door, stopping only to put on his shoes and a jacket. "We have _thirty minutes_ ," Akira says, ignoring Shindou's pleading look. "And I promised your mother we would be _on time_." He leads them out of the apartment without another word.


	17. Fine By Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clearly talking about hair is flirting. REALLY.

"You know," Yashiro says from where he is sprawled on Hikaru's couch, "I really like Touya's hair."

Hikaru snorts. "You're drunk, Yashiro."

"Seriously," Yashiro insists. "It's so silky and pretty. I could just run my fingers through it."

"And then he'd kick your ass for mussing it up," he points out. Touya, who is passed out on Hikaru's armchair, snores lightly into a pillow. Hikaru stands up and wobbles before getting his balance. "Besides, he's mine. Get your own."

"S'nothing wrong with sharing," Yashiro points out.

Hikaru leans his hip against the armrest and brushes Touya's hair from his cheek. "Pretty sure Touya's not into that."

Yashiro shrugs. "Your hair sucks, though."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

"Who the hell bleaches just their _bangs_?"

"Me," Hikaru replies and flips Yashiro off. Yashiro waggles his eyebrows and grins. 

"Your flirting," Touya mumbles, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "is waking me up."

"We're not flirting," Hikaru says, frowning.

"We totally are," Yashiro disagrees.

"Fuck off, Yashiro."

Yashiro rolls his eyes. "S'okay with Touya, s'okay with me."

"Will you let me sleep after?" Touya asks. Yashiro nods. "Then it's okay with me. But not on the couch."

"Obviously," Yashiro agrees.

Hikaru shakes his head. "You guys are going to regret this in the morning," he warns, but allows himself to be led to the bedroom. At the very least, he thinks, he's going to have some fun.


	18. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Su-yeong just wants to watch a movie.

"You do realize," Yeong-ha drawls, resting his arm along the back of the couch, "there is no such thing as Santa Claus?"

Su-yeong rolls his eyes. "Look. I told you that you _didn't_ have to watch this with me. I'm perfectly capable of watching a movie on my _own_." He pauses for a moment. "In fact, I think I'd _prefer_ to watch it without your stupid commentary."

Yeong-ha gives him a wounded look. "I'm here, out of the goodness of my heart, because you _asked_ me, and this is the thanks I get?"

"Save the act, Yeong-ha. You're not fooling anyone. You're only here because you're _bored_."

"True," he allows. "Now entertain me."

With a sigh, Su-yeong hits _play_ on the remote and waits for the opening credits to start rolling.


	19. Something Sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akari gives Nase a present.

She's not sure why she's so nervous, but she is. Nase is looking at her, bemused, as she holds out the little bag of cookies she spent the past two days baking. It's not like Nase is the _only_ person she's giving the treats to, but Nase is smiling and Akari feels stupidly warm inside, despite the bitter wind and the snow creaking under her boots.

"Thank you, Fujisaki," Nase says, taking the cookies. 

"Um," Akari replies eloquently. Mentally, she kicks herself. "I hope you like them."

"I'm sure I will," Nase says, reaching out to place a hand on Akari's shoulder. Akari thinks it might be her imagination, but she swears she can feel the touch all the way through her body. "After all, _you_ made them." There is a playful lilt in Nase's voice and Akari flushes. "But I didn't get you anything."

Akari shakes her head. "Oh no, that's really okay---" Nase leans forward and kisses her before she can finish her sentence. It's brief – only long enough for Akari to realize that Nase's lips are dry and a little chapped – and then it's over, and Akari blinks dazedly.

"That's better," Nase says, eyes sparkling. "Thanks for the cookies, Akari-chan!"

Later, when she's alone and can think properly, she decides that she got the better present.


	20. Housewarming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichikawa goes shopping.

She's taken into account every possible present and has vetoed roughly three-quarters of them, which isn't all that impressive, considering about three-quarters of the list is go-related paraphernalia. Harumi assumes that they have enough stones, goban and kifu collections between the two of them to open their own little store; she also doubts that they have enough dishes between them to be able to properly cater to a guest, let alone _multiple_ guests at once. 

Which is why she is waffling between the very nice tea set and the equally gorgeous set of dishware. Every time she picks one up, mind made up, she hesitates. _What if they don't like the pattern?_ her mind whispers. Or _what if they don't drink tea?_ That last one is ridiculous, of course; they are proper Japanese men, of course they drink tea. And she knows for a _fact_ that Akira-kun drinks tea because she's constantly refilling his cup at the salon.

The saleswoman's smile looks a bit strained, though, so Harumi eyes the two items critically. The simple pattern on the dishware would suit Akira-kun while the bright colors of the line art would appeal to Shindou-kun. But the tea set is very plain and can be used for all occasions, not just when they have guests. She hems and haws for a few more minutes before finally deciding on the tea set.

She does request a gift receipt in case they _already_ have a tea set or someone else also has the same brilliant idea, which would most likely be Touya Akiko-san; Harumi doesn't think that either of them have acquaintances outside of go.

Purchase made, she smiles and exits the shop. She can't wait to give it to them at their housewarming party.


	21. A New Year's Trip: Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saeki and Ashiwara are going to visit family for the holiday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next two drabbles follow directly from this one. Therefore, I have put connected stories in my advent! Call Santa!

"Should I pack a suit?" Kouji asks and Ashiwara-san laughs. "What? I'm being serious."

Ashiwara-san pats Kouji's arm reassuringly. "You won't need a suit, Saeki-kun. It's just dinner and a shrine visit. You'll just need something warm."

Kouji shakes his head and turns back to his closet. "I'm meeting your parents _and_ spending New Year's with them." He pulls out his blue suit and eyes it critically before Ashiwara-san takes it out of his hands, hangs it back up, and gives Kouji's nose a kiss.

"It'll be _fine_ , Saeki-kun," Ashiwara-san says. He digs out Kouji's worn green turtleneck and hands it to Kouji. "Wear this and a pair of slacks if you're worried about it."

Kouji looks at the turtleneck and nods.


	22. A New Year's Trip: Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saeki meets Ashiwara's family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This follows from the previous drabble.

"That is a lovely turtleneck," Hiroyuki's mom compliments Saeki-kun. "It looks very warm."

Saeki-kun nods and Hiroyuki notices that his cheeks are a little pink. "Thank you."

He pats Saeki-kun on the shoulder as he walks towards the kitchen to help bring out the rest of the food. Saeki-kun shoots him a slightly panicked look, but Hiroyuki smiles. It won't hurt to leave Saeki-kun alone for a moment, he thinks, although he's sure he'll pay for it later. Saeki-kun looks distinctly uncomfortable, which is slightly amusing. 

"Now," Hiroyuki's mom says, leading Saeki-kun to the couch. "You simply must tell me how Yuki-chan is doing by himself. I worry about him, you know."


	23. A New Year's Trip: Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shrine visit and a knitted cap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This follows directly from the previous two drabbles.

It is cold when they leave for the shrine, bundled in coats and scarves and, in Ashiwara-san's case, a knitted hat with a pom-pom. (His sister had knitted it for him, and Ashiwara-san had oohed and aahed all over it before promptly shoving it over his curls and grinning while Sunako-chan grinned and snapped pictures. Kouji simply shook his head until Ashiwara-san pinned him to the couch so Sunako could pull the cap over _Kouji's_ hair and take about a hundred more.

"I'll make you one, Saeki-san," she'd said afterwards "that way you and nii-chan can match.")

Everyone is chattering about different things, from wanting tea to what sort of fortunes they hope to receive. Kouji is sandwiched between Ashiwara-san and his older brother, who is gleefully telling Kouji all of the embarrassing stories he can think of about Ashiwara-san. 

Later, when they're back at Ashiwara-san's parents' house, Kouji nudges Ashiwara-san with his foot. "Your family is nice." He can see where Ashiwara-san gets it from.

Ashiwara-san yawns before smiling sleepily at Kouji. "They like you. Now go to sleep, Saeki-kun."

Kouji smiles back.


	24. Season's Greetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeong-ha sends out his new year's greetings.

When he's sending out his greetings (personal acquaintances only; his fan club staff takes care of the rest), he is very careful to remember to send one to the Yashiro household. He doesn't tell Kiyoharu about it, of course; Kiyoharu would simply start screaming over the phone, send an inordinate amount of e-mails with too many exclamation points, and bother Su-yeong with his incessant flailing. He'd rather spare himself the headache.

The card is simple: 'wishing you prosperity in the coming year.' He signs his name in very clear characters so that Kiyoharu's parents know _exactly_ who sent the card.

(The one he sends to Kiyoharu is less polite and along the lines of 'maybe we can get rid of another handicap stone this year.' He knows that he's going to get a call about that one. Somehow, he finds the prospect of it entertaining.)

It's not that he wants to create problems, nor does he particularly want to fix the relationship between Kiyoharu and his parents; that is not his place, and Kiyoharu has told him time and again that he doesn't care that his father won't speak to him. He knows that last part isn't true, but there isn't any point in arguing it. He simply wants to show Kiyoharu's parents that he is above their pettiness.

He is only slightly surprised when he receives a greeting ('wishing for your health') _back_. He tucks it away as a partial victory, and doesn't tell Kiyoharu about it at all.


End file.
